Mindsiege (Mindspeak #2)(24)

I knew that voice. That was a voice I’d heard in my sleep before. Kyle. I tried to focus. Still feeling the pain in my hip, I reached down and rubbed the spot that felt very much like the sting of a bee. Did you just inject me with something? My eyelids grew heavy again.

Just something to help us keep you safe, Jack said. I need you to trust me.

Okay. I recognized the state I was in. I was dreaming, but I was moving. And alert. Exactly the way I’d felt when Kyle helped me escape Wellington last Friday—after I’d lost consciousness from healing Addison and Jack. Kyle was able to control my actions while I was in a sleeping state.

How about a surprise adventure? Kyle asked. I want you to come with me.

Where are we going? I asked.

It wouldn’t be a surprise if I told you.

Is Jack coming? I’m not going unless Jack is going.

Yes, I’m coming, Jack said. I’m going to help you stand.

I surveyed the area around the fire pit. As in previous dreams, I could focus on where I was, but the figures in front of me were a little blurred.

I pushed myself to my feet. Jack grabbed my elbow and helped me stand.

“You have complete control of her?” Jack asked, like I wasn’t even there.

“Yeah. I got her. The injection I gave her should render her unconscious for a couple of hours.”

“That should be plenty,” Jack said.

I giggled. “Listen to you. ‘Rendered.’ Nice big word.”

Jack and Kyle traded glances, and I realized immediately that I wasn’t talking normally. But they seemed to shrug off my drunkenness.

“Okay, let’s go.” Jack grabbed my hand and led me, not into the house, but around to the side and out the gate. Kyle walked close by.

On the other side of the gate, we followed the fence along the neighbor’s property. The swings on the neighbor’s swing set blew in the breeze, the image fuzzy. The rusty chains squeaked against the metal poles. The sound echoed inside my head. With all of my senses heightened, I had to place my hands over my ears when the train whistled.

“Are we going on the train?” I asked. “I like the train. We have to run fast to get on.”

Jack narrowed his brows at Kyle. “How big a dose did you give her?”

“She’s fine.”

They talked about me as if I weren’t there. It kind of pissed me off.

“Lexi,” Kyle said. “We are going on the train. Can you run fast?”

“Absolutely.” To prove it, I began running in place.

Kyle laughed, holding his stomach. Jack used his free hand to shove Kyle. “Knock it off. I don’t have to remind you what I’ll do to you if something happens to her because of your stupidity.”

“Hey, this was your idea.”

“Let’s just focus, okay?”

Suddenly a light shone on us. The train was coming. “There it is,” I said. “I’m ready. Let’s go.”

Jack tightened his grip on my hand.

Kyle stepped beside me. “Okay Lexi, focus on me. We’re going to run together. When you pick up enough speed, grab onto the handle of one of the cars. When I count to three, you’re going to pull yourself onto the train.”

“Got it.”

The first car passed us. Jack dropped my hand and began to run. I followed, and Kyle brought up the rear.

When we picked up enough speed, Jack grabbed onto a piece of metal sticking out from the train and hurled himself into an empty car. He reached out his hand for me, but my legs didn’t feel like my own. I couldn’t get enough speed.

Lexi, I’m begging you, Jack said. Run harder. Grab my hand.

Kyle ran directly on my heels. “Grab his hand, Lexi,” Kyle yelled. I reached out. Our fingertips touched, but then broke apart.

Jack ran his hand through his hair, then reached out again. Come on, baby. Try again. Run faster.

I lifted my hand again. The very tips of my fingers grazed his. Slowly, my entire hand made contact.

He counted. “One, two, three!”

I pushed off my feet, and Jack pulled at the same time. I landed with a thud right on top of his chest.

Kyle landed in a heap beside us.

“You okay?” Jack asked, smoothing my hair and eyeing the rest of my body.

I nodded. It was so dark inside the train car that I could barely make out Jack’s face. “Why are we on the train, Jack?”

“Don’t ask questions yet, okay?”

Jack pushed up and moved to sit against the wall of the car beside Kyle. I sat beside him.

“The night you helped us escape Wellington,” Jack said to Kyle, “you told me you couldn’t force Lexi to do something she didn’t want to do.”

Kyle appeared to think about that. “I don’t know if it was so much that I couldn’t, but I wouldn’t want to. At the time, you both thought that I had tried to kill Lexi. I wanted you to know I wouldn’t harm her.”

“Yet here we are,” Jack said. “She’s going to be so mad when she wakes up.”

I reached up and smoothed the line that formed between Jack’s eyes. “Why am I going to be mad?”

He touched a finger to my nose. “No questions, remember?”





Chapter Eleven


“I have a chai tea latte for you,” Jack whispered in my ear.